The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) is eyeing construction of a P7-billion peso container facility in the Southern Philippines city of Cebu to accommodate increasing cargo demand in the region.
“CPA is planning to construct a new container terminal as the current CIP (Cebu International Port) has no more room for expansion,” according to a CPA commissioner who requested anonymity.
“The new container terminal will be strategically located — just 10 kilometers away from the existing port — and will have enough room for expansion,” the source said at the sidelines of the 7th Philippine Ports and Shipping Conference held in Manila last week
“The proposed budget for the new terminal is currently pegged at P7 billion,” he added.
CPA is reviewing a study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency on the said project.
The project could take two to three years to complete.
In addition, CPA is looking at further improving and modernizing infrastructure of ports under its watch. These include the baseports (Pier 1, Pier 2, Pier 3 and 5th Street; Management Office of Mandaue; Management Office of Danao; Danao San Francisco, Camotes; Poro Tudela, Camotes; Carmen; Management Office of Sta. Fe; Hagnaya Bantayan; Sta. Fe Bogo (Pulang Bato); Baigad; Management Office of Toledo; Toledo Tuburan; Tabuelan Tangil, Dumanjug; Management Office of Argao; Bulasa Taloot; and Bato, Samboan.
For 2011, CPA handled 25.365 million metric tons, up 5.4% from 24.056 mmt in 2010, thanks to the strong performance of import cargoes.
For the same period in review, containerized cargo also grew 8.27% to 538,200 twenty-foot equivalent units compared with 497,062 TEUs. CPA attributed the rise to active transshipment.
Passenger volume, on the other hand, rose 4.52% to 15.636 million from 14.959 million.
Image courtesy of www.cpa.gov.ph
